Next steps to counter transnational repression via UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill
Hong Kong Watch has prepared the following explainer on parliamentary process to explain what happens next in the campaign to support an amendment to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill aimed at preventing transnational repression.
Yesterday at 16:34, the House of Commons voted on Amendment 3 to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill after Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, who tabled the amendment, called a division – in parliamentary terms, a formal vote in which MPs are divided into Ayes (‘yes’ votes) and Noes (‘no’ votes).
The result of the division was Ayes 162, Noes 246, meaning that Amendment 3 was not adopted at this stage of the Bill’s passage through Parliament. The amendment received strong cross-party support from all opposition parties, but was voted down by Labour MPs.
Most importantly, this does not mean that the amendment has failed.
The Bill has now passed its 3rd Reading in the House of Commons and will progress to the House of Lords, where it will undergo its 1st Reading. Here, Amendment 3 will be reintroduced and voted on again by members of the Lords.
If the amendment is adopted by the Lords, the Bill will return to the House of Commons. Any differences between the Commons and Lords versions of the Bill will then be negotiated between the two Houses (referred to as the ‘ping pong’ stage), until a final text is agreed.
It is therefore crucial that we continue to rally support for Amendment 3 in the House of Commons in anticipation of its reintroduction in the Lords and any subsequent negotiations during the ping pong stage.
It is now more important than ever to urge MPs of all parties to support the amendment when it returns for consideration. In particular, constituents represented by Labour MPs should encourage them to back the amendment. If sufficient numbers of Labour MPs support the amendment when it returns to the Commons, its chances of becoming law increase significantly.
This campaign is a collaborative, cross-community effort undertaken by a number of partner organisations. We thank everyone who has supported the campaign so far. Please continue to follow our social media channels for updates on future efforts to support the amendment, oppose information sharing with authoritarian regimes, and protect Hong Kongers and other diaspora groups from transnational repression.
透過《網絡安全及韌性法案》修正案打擊跨國鎮壓下一步倡議行動
香港監察就英國《網絡安全及韌性法案》修正案的議會程序準備了下列懶人包解說，務求解釋我們未來透過修正案阻止跨國鎮壓的下一步倡議工作。
昨天下午4時34分，下議院就《網絡安全及韌性法案》（Cyber Security and Resilience Bill）第三項修正案投票。早前，提出修正案的前保守黨黨魁施志安議員（Iain Duncan Smith MP）要求表決（division）。在議會術語中，表決方式分為贊成票（Ayes）和反對票（Noes）。
表決結果為162票贊成、246票反對，意味着第三項修正案在下議院審議階段未能通過。這份修正案獲得所有跨黨派反對黨的熱烈支持，但被工黨議員投票反對。
然而重要的是，這並不代表修正案已經失敗。
修正案在下議院已完成三讀。接下來，議案將移至上議院展開首讀。屆時，上議院將重新提出第三項修正案，並交由上議院議員投票表決。
如果上議院通過修正案，法案將返回下議院。上下兩院將就修正案條文的差異來回磋商（稱為「乒乓」階段），直至兩院就條文達成共識。
因此，至關重要的是，我們需要繼續爭取下議院對第三項修正案的支持，為上議院重新提出修正案和之後兩院展開「乒乓」磋商作準備。
現在正是重要時機，呼籲所有黨派議員在重提修正案時給予支持。所有住在工黨選區的選民更特別應該敦促所屬議員支持修正案。如果在修正案返回下議院時支持議案的工黨議員人數充足，那麼修正案能夠通過成為法律的可能性將大大增加。
這項倡議是由多個合作組織共同發起的跨社區行動，我們感謝各位迄今對我們倡議工作的支持。請繼續關注我們的社交平台，了解我們未來就支持修正案、反對與威權政體分享資料、和保護港人免受跨國鎮壓的最新工作進展。
Photo: Jacob Diehl on Unsplash